1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a table pot or container for a liquid seasoning, and more specifically to an improvement of such a table pot, in which an air inlet for introducing air into the pot is effectively prevented from clogging or closing.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Table pots for storing liquid seasonings, such as soy sauce, Worcester sauce, red pepper oil and drippings, are generally used at home and restaurants. A known example of such table pots includes a container body having an opening at its upper end, and a lid which is threaded on or otherwise attached to the contained body so as to cover the opening. By tilting the table pot, a liquid seasoning contained in the container body is delivered out of the pot, through a fluid passage formed through the lid.
The table pot as described above has an air inlet for introducing air into the container body. This air inlet is formed through a peripheral portion of the lid which is diametrically opposite to the fluid passage, and serves to avoid reduction of the pressure within the container body when the liquid seasoning is delivered through the fluid passage, to thus permit continuous delivering of the liquid seasoning.
However, the liquid seasoning tends to contact the air inlet upon delivering of the seasoning, and remain in the air inlet even after the delivering, due to the surface tension of the liquid, for example. As a result, the air inlet is narrowed or closed as the remaining seasoning solidifies and accumulates in the air inlet, thereby obstructing smooth supply of air into the container body. This results in deteriorated efficiency or easiness in using the table pot. Such table pots, when used at restaurants in particular, need to be frequently checked and cleaned.
In view of the above problem, the inventor of the present invention proposed a table pot for a liquid seasoning as disclosed in JP-A-5-27702. The proposed table pot is provided with an extended air passage which is connected to the inner open end of the air inlet and has a larger cross sectional area than the air inlet. The extended air passage extends from the air inlet toward the fluid passage, with a slight inclination toward the bottom of the container body. When this table pot is tilted to dispense the liquid seasoning, the extended air passage is open downwards in the vertical direction, whereby the air introduced through the air inlet remains in the extended air passage, thus preventing the seasoning from reaching the air inlet.
However, if the table pot having the extended air passage as described above is tilted to a greater extent to dispense the liquid seasoning, the extended air passage is open downwards but obliquely, that is, the air passage is inclined with respect to the vertical direction, whereby the air is less likely to remain in the extended air passage, letting the liquid seasoning enter the air passage. As a result, the liquid seasoning may reach the air inlet, thereby undesirably causing the air inlet to be narrowed or clogged with the seasoning.